What is the difference between My Keepon & Keepon Pro?

My Keepon is the toy version of a research robot, Keepon Pro, developed by BeatBots (beatbots.net).

Keepon Pro is used in research with children, including those with developmental disorders such as autism. In these settings, Keepon Pro is tethered to a computer, and an adult (a researcher or therapist)controls the robot during interactions with children in the playroom. Cameras and a microphone convey information to the human who intelligently guides the robot's behaviors. Furthermore, when dancing, Keepon Pro's beat detection is powered by a standard computer processor.

My Keepon, on the other hand, is designed as an entertaining, standalone robotic toy. Like Keepon Pro, My Keepon has a microphone in the nose, but instead of cameras for a human operator, My Keeponhas touch sensors for physical interaction. And My Keepon's behavior and audio processing are all driven by on-board processors. Although these processors are not as powerful as those found in your standardcomputer, we believe that My Keepon has the most sophisticated audio analysis and dancing behavior ever available in a robotic toy under $50.

Because it is completely self-contained and autonomous, My Keepon needs to pause momentarily while dancing to listen to and analyze music without the interference of motor noise. My Keepon analyzes avariety of audio parameters and then dance appropriately to the tempo. My Keepon has a variety of different dance patterns and randomizes their combinations, so every dance is unique!

A comparison of the technical aspects of My Keepon vs. Keepon Pro is presented in the table below.

My Keepon

Keepon Pro

Sensors

Microphone in the nose, four touch sensors around the body and one atop the head

I know a child with autism and I was considering buying a My Keepon for him. Is the toy suitable for children with autism?

My Keepon is a toy version of a research robot, Keepon Pro, which is being used by scientists to interact with children in therapeutic and research settings. Keepon Pro has cameras in its eyes and is controlled from another room by an expert operator who responds to children's social engagement with the robot.

The My Keepon toy retains some of the qualities that make Keepon Pro a useful tool in autism research: a simple appearance, uncomplicated behaviors, and tactile appeal. However, My Keepon is not specifically designed for children with special needs or as an aid in autism therapy. As a standalone toy, My Keepon is meant to be an entertaining companion rather than a mediating tool for interaction between children and therapists.

That said, we are passionate about Keepon's research origins, and we are committing a portion of all My Keepon sales to fund further research into the use of robots like Keepon Pro in therapeutic contexts. If you are interested in the research that Keepon Pro has been involved in, please visit beatbots.net/research.

Is this a copy of Zingy from the EDF ad?

My Keepon was developed in conjunction with Beatbots, and was based on a robot that Beatbots had previously developed called 'Keepon Pro'. Although Keepon Pro is a highly sophisticated research robot, we worked together to emulate much of its behaviour, including its dance moves, in the toy My Keepon. Beatbots have since worked with the energy company, EDF, to create a new character called 'Zingy', which is also based on the Keepon Pro robot mechanism.